President Trump on Monday urged Israeli leaders to turn the page from warfare to peace, telling the Knesset that Israel had won “all that they can by force of arms” and expressing optimism about the region’s future.
Trump addressed the Israeli parliament during a visit to the Middle East to mark the release of hostages and the onset of the first stages of a peace plan to end the fighting in Gaza that has raged since October 2023.
The president, who was greeted with a standing ovation, touted what he called “the historic dawn of a new Middle East,” and he urged leaders in Israel and elsewhere in the region to embrace peace and cooperation.
“Israel, with our help, has won all that they can by force of arms. You’ve won. Now, it is time to translate these victories against terrorists on the battlefield into the ultimate prize of peace and prosperity for the entire Middle East. It’s about time you were able to enjoy the fruits of your labor,” Trump said in prepared remarks.
Trump said he told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he would be remembered “far more” for accepting the peace agreement than had he “kept this thing going, going, going, kill, kill, kill.”
“Together, we’ve shown that peace is not just a hope that we can dream about, it is a reality we can build upon—day by day, person by person, and nation by nation,” Trump said. “And because of that, the Middle East is finally ready to embrace its extraordinary potential.”
Trump, who became the third U.S. president to address the Knesset, praised Israel’s resilience and strength following the Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, in which Hamas killed roughly 1,200 people and took more than 200 others hostage.
The subsequent Israeli military campaign in Gaza to wipe out Hamas has killed more than 67,000 Palestinians, exacerbated a humanitarian crisis that has alarmed global experts and drawn accusations that Israel was committing genocide.
Trump told the Knesset that the “total focus of Gazans” should be on restoring stability and building economic prosperity in the territory. Trump’s proposal for the region calls for the establishment of a “board of peace” that would help oversee Gaza. Trump is named as the leader of the board.
Trump’s remarks were briefly interrupted at one point by protests inside the Knesset. Two lawmakers were quickly escorted out. One of those lawmakers, Ayman Odeh, said he was removed for holding up a sign that read, “Recognize Palestine!”
There are still questions about the long-term implementation of Trump’s peace plan, and U.S. officials have acknowledged Monday’s release of hostages and the initial withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza are early steps.
Trump in his remarks on Monday simultaneously condemned Iran and others in the region for “fomenting terrorism and extremism, jihadism and anti-Semitism,” touted military operations targeting Iran and its nuclear program, and extended an olive branch to Tehran.
“It is more obvious than ever that the productive and responsible nations of this region should not be enemies or adversaries, you should be partners, and eventually even friends,” Trump said.
“Even to Iran, whose regime has inflicted so much death on the Middle East, the hand of friendship and cooperation is open,” he added. “I’m telling you, they want to make a deal.”
The president spoke for more than an hour. His speech was peppered with meandering asides about U.S. military operations, criticisms of his political rivals and recognition of various officials in the audience.
Prior to his remarks to the Knesset, Trump met privately with the families of Israeli hostages. Hamas on Monday released the remaining 20 living hostages taken during the Oct. 7 attacks.
Trump is slated to travel to Egypt for a ceremony to mark the signing of the peace agreement before returning to Washington, D.C.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and other world leaders are slated to attend. Netanyahu was reportedly set to attend, but his office later clarified he had declined an invitation, citing the proximity to the holiday.
Trump was joined at the Knesset by a slew of top aides, including Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, special envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.
Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and former senior adviser during his first term, received applause when she entered the room.
The president was preceded by remarks from multiple Israeli leaders, all of whom backed Trump as a candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize in 2026.
